On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will be visible across parts of Europe and the North Atlantic. The path of totality will cross Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small area of northeastern Portugal. The rest of Europe will see a partial eclipse.
During a total solar eclipse, the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun, blocking its disk and revealing the corona — the star's fiery atmosphere that is normally invisible. The last time this was visible from mainland Europe was in 2006.
The best viewing conditions will be in Spain, which has the largest area of totality in Europe. The eclipse will cross the country from west to east, including the Balearic Islands. For mainland Spain, this is the first total solar eclipse since 1905 — and the first of three visible from the country between 2026 and 2028.
ESA is organizing a live broadcast from the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory in Teruel, Spain, located right within the path of totality. The stream will be available in English via ESA Web TV and YouTube. In the city of León, ESA will also host a free public observation program with expert talks on solar physics and space missions.
Among ESA missions studying the Sun and its interaction with Earth are Solar Orbiter, Smile, and Proba 3.